Romans 5-8

Romans 8 is justifiably a favorite Bible chapter among many Christians. Here is another excerpt from a sermon I gave recently on this chapter….

Finally, the Holy Spirit gives us Freedom from Fear–No Separation. We read about this in verses 31-39.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul tells us five things in this passage that can free us from fear through the Holy Spirit. Here are Paul’s five arguments that prove that we, as believers in Jesus, can never be separated from God:

God is for us. (31)
Christ died for us. (32)
God has justified us. (33)
Christ intercedes for us. (34)
Christ loves us. (35-39)

Leslie Bauer tells this story….

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art: everything from Picasso to Raphael. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart. He died instantly. He often talked about you and your love for art.”

The young man held out the package and said, “I know this isn’t much. I’m not a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.” The father opened the package and gazed at a portrait of his son. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured his son in the painting. The father hung the portrait over his mantle. When visitors came to his home, he always drew attention to the portrait of his son before he showed them any other great works.

When the father died, his paintings were to be auctioned. Many influential people gathered, excited about the opportunity to purchase them. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel and asked for someone to start the bidding. The crowd scoffed and demanded the Van Goghs and the Rembrandts. But the auctioneer persisted. “Who will start the bidding? $200? $100?” The crowd again insisted on seeing the famous paintings. Still the auctioneer solicited, “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?”

Finally a voice said, “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” The longtime gardener of the father was poor and couldn’t afford anything more. While the auctioneer continued to pursue a higher bid, the crowd became angry. The auctioneer pounded the gavel and sold the painting for $10 to the gardener.

An eager buyer from the second row bellowed, “Finally, on with the auction.” But the auctioneer explained, “I’m sorry, the auction is over. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything.”[1]

Have you taken God’s Son, Jesus Christ, into your heart? If so, then you have his Holy Spirit living in you. Furthermore, if His Holy Spirit is living in you, then you have all things: freedom from judgment, freedom from defeat, freedom from discouragement, freedom from fear. The one who takes the Son gets everything.

To listen to the entire sermon, of which this is an excerpt, click here: Romans 8:1-39.

[1] Source unknown; submitted by Leslie Bauer, Barrington, Illinois to http://preachingtoday.com

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